


the chariot

by en passant (corinthian)



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-24 15:16:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15633318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corinthian/pseuds/en%20passant
Summary: What purpose does a ruler have?Rein, Cain, Pholia, some musings.





	the chariot

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Crosswinds: a Granblue Fantasy Tarot Zine](https://twitter.com/gbf_tarot)! I'm honored to have worked with so many talented artists and writers.

Reinhardtzar had always been the one to push back. Even as a kid — barely taller than some of the swords in the armory, and only just old enough to know that — he didn’t take to being talked down to well. He didn’t sneak peeks into the barracks and training grounds, he walked through the doorways like he owned them.

The Arms Master, an old Erune that looked more whipcord than flesh and bone, tried to teach him discipline. Each day was a lesson on respect, patience, deliberate action. From catching Reinhardtzar’s punches and dumping him in the mud to fielding the barbed questions — why does a peaceful kingdom have such a rigorous army, what does ‘unity’ in a kingdom truly mean, how ‘true’ can a king be, what is the purpose of a ruler, how much does the king love his people? — the Arms Master had a kind of answer for everything.

 

— an army is also for protection and servicing the kingdom in any way it can.

— unity is when the people’s hearts are beating with the same rhythm, moving in the same direction.

— a king is a true leader when he carries the burden of his people and they give their lives to him, knowing he will do his best by them.

— a ruler exists for the people.

— the king loves his people as much as he is able to.

 

Answers weren’t enough, just like how daily training routines weren’t enough. How much is ‘able to’, how strong is ‘strong enough’. There was a slow burning fire in Reinhardtzar’s chest that felt like it might erupt. It wasn’t enough for a ruler to be a distant face he didn’t know the shape of. He was young, then, and even though it was years later and he had what felt like a lifetime of experience under his belt, felt younger still when the Tohrid sovereign disappeared.

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t hard to find work as a soldier. War was good business, after all. A war torn land, even more so. Reinhardtzar went from skirmish to skirmish, from one banner to the next, and eventually he stopped paying heed to what colors flew above his head. One self-important lord wanted an armed squad to ‘hold his land’ to ‘make it a haven’ but the reality of the situation was that he wanted a group if disposable mercenaries. Another, too hopeful and too stupid and too naive only seemed to want lambs to go to the slaughter with him.

He didn’t ask, but he didn’t order. There were men who were also tired, who had lost too many friends and had seen the rise and fall of countless ‘armies’ (would-be rulers, false leaders, conmen). The only thing he had to offer was himself and his own values. None of the men asked him, what kind of king will he be, or what kind of kingdom would he make. And he didn’t make any promises he didn’t intend to die before breaking.

Merkmal was the ideal new kingdom. Out of the way, both hardly important but in a position of unrealized potential. He was a direct man, he was a military man, he had seen too much of the lap of luxury be both corrupt and also weak.

A general leads by example, and he had been led by the best. Strength, protection, clear standards and expectations. Reinhardtzar ensured that he and his men imposed those on Merkmal. The fire that had burned inside of him when Tohrid had still stood had become a white hot iron and he would use it to forge a place for him and the men who had chosen to follow him.

The people who lived on Merkmal didn’t understand, they asked him — why are you doing this, what do you want from us, why won’t you leave. The only answer he had for them was that he looked after what was his. And for a while, no one challenged him.

 

* * *

 

The world opened up, because of one general from Idelva. Like the men that had led him before, Reinhardtzar had considered Merkmal as independent — as a possibility. But then Cain had shown up, spread his arms wide, placating but also showing off the sword hilt at his side, and held the threat of skydom war over Reinhardtzar’s head.

That’s fine, wasn’t it — that’s what he had thought. He couldn’t remember a time before war, now. The memories of Tohrid were lifetimes ago — literally — friends, captains, companions, they had all given their lives for the sum of nothing. For a wartorn land and no place to call home.

 

— we can crush the outsiders.

— we need to keep our home safe.

— give the word and we’ll take up arms against them.

— we’ll stand behind you to the end.

Every loyal statement his men gave him bowed his head lower and lower. He was determined to carve into the world with his own two hands, bloody his knuckles on the earth and clouds if he had to. But he wasn’t willing to become  _ a king who loves his people as much as he is able to.  _ Reinhardtzar was going to give it his all, in every meaning of the sense.

And that’s why he had to surrender.

He didn’t say any of that, though, not even when Cain came to visit him in his cell. He made sure he stood, whenever footsteps echoed through the jailing area. It wouldn’t do for the would-be king — future king, leader of his men — to be seen sitting tiredly, or showing weakness.

 

“You’re a pretty admirable guy, you know?” Cain started, his tone was jovial and his eyes crinkled with mirth but there was some weight to his words that had been why Reinhardtzar had been able to read his bluff in the first place.

“You’re not the kind of man to gloat.” Reinhardtzar pointed out, crossed his arms, “So, what do you want?”

“Just a question, if you will.”

“Aa?”

“What kind of future are you moving towards?” Cain sounded almost eager, or maybe it was hopeful.

Reinhardtzar only had his own counter: “I’ll answer if you answer my question. What sort of future are  _ you _ looking for?”

Neither answered, not yet.

 

* * *

 

Pholia had already played games with them and some small --  _ young _ \-- part of Reinhardtzar had thought that she was hardly a ruler in that case. But then he had been brought before her, seen her sit in all her regal attire and holding herself like a king, chin up and eyes clear. There was the weight of a kingdom on her shoulders.

“I must commend you, you’ve certainly spurred my general into action.” There was a teasing to her tone that didn’t match the gravity she spoke them with. He knew she could send his head rolling with a single gesture and yet instead she met him as a leader to a subject, not an enemy to opposition. 

“Do you want something?”

“We’ve been on a mission together, are we such strangers now?”

“Don’t joke, there’s no reason for the ruler of Idelva to meet with  _ me _ like this.” At one point and time in his life, Reinhardtzar might have said that with a toss of his head, or raised his chin. Instead he just planted his feet, squared his shoulders and stood comfortable in his own power. The desperation that had taken him to Merkmal was just a shadow on his soul, a grounding of responsibility that he would never let go of but no longer ruled his every thought, every breath and every motion. It might have been called ‘hope’, if he was the kind of man to put stock in such things.

“Under my rule, I desire every citizen of Idelva to be able to partake in what life has to offer. To wake up in the morning and feel the sun, to see their loved ones, to walk freely in the forest and across the lands. Do you understand where I’m taking this?” She spoke with a wistful tone that revealed too much. 

“Let people live their lives.”

“And you’re talking to me about this instead of some advisor or council?” He was combative by nature 

“Wouldn’t you agree that out of all here, you’ve done the most to find your own freedom and place in the world? Freedom of choice, freedom of will, rebellion and war, they’re all part of ruling.”

“Yeah, we both know that.”

Pholia’s lip quirked, and the smile she gave was a conspirator’s grin. “Yes, we both know that. Thank you for your time, I hope that you’ll learn to live and protect Idelva as your own.”

 

* * *

 

The debris of the Great Wall fell around them and it was impossible to not see the past in them. The Scarlet Knight on one side, Pholia on the other and the crew arranged across the deck. Reinhardtzar leaned with his back against the railing and surveyed the group.

Reckless, ridiculous, completely stupid captain. But it was the kind of idealism that no one could approve of but would always want on their side.

“‘We won’t let anyone die’,” Cain repeated the crew’s words from earlier. 

“Nice way to live, isn’t it?” Reinhardtzar replied.

“Is that the kind of king you’d be?” Cain asked, and offers a wide grin, “That’s the kind I’d want to be.”

Before, he would have answered that he would be the kind of king who would die before his people -- die  _ for _ his people but through the shower of debris he can see the horizon and across the faces of the crew he sees more than just the beginning of the rising sun.

“Yeah, me too.” 

**Author's Note:**

> The Chariot is a card about overcoming conflicts and moving forward in a positive direction. One needs to keep going on and through sheer hard work and commitment he will be victorious.


End file.
